O Abraçador do Mundo

Read the story below “The World Hugger “, which was published in O Popular newspaper (March 19th, 2012):

The World Hugger

The first time I saw him, I didn’t know if he was a reader, a traveller or a walker. Back then, I just heard that he had hugged the world. I was curious about his story, so I decided to look for him.

I finally met him, under a tree, sitting on his suitcase reading a book. I was expecting to find a giant, with huge arms to hug the world. But guess what? I met a short guy, almost my height. Oh, I forgot to tell you, I am seven years old.

Anyways, as soon as I met him I asked if he really was Mr. World Hugger. He laughed and said:

– So, is it how people call me in town?

– Yes, everyone is saying that you have hugged the world. But honestly, with such small arms, I doubt it.

– My dear boy, you are still very young, but little by little you will realize that in order to hug the world, you don’t need big arms.

– Oh really? Then what is the secret to hug the world?

– Well, lets say that there isn’t a secret. Actually, the attempt to hug the world never ends. I can just say that it begins in a long trip throughout knowledge.

– But I am very young, I can’t not go out on my own and travel throughout knowledge like that.

– Oh, but there are plenty of ways to travel. When you become older, for instance, you might get a backpack and fly to distant cities and countries. But these unknown places can also be revealed in books and by people. Oh, always remember to hear the elders, they usually have travelled a lot and carry a suitcase full of knowledge.

– I always hear my grandpa’s stories. But tell me something: when one reaches the knowledge end of the road, can one finally hug the world? Have you ever reach it?

– No, I have never reached and I couldn’t possibly have done that. The knowledge road does not have an end.

– It doesn’t? But how have you hugged the world then?

– I have never.

– Well, it is what everyone says.

– In reality, I have walked many miles trying to hug the world, but I realized that is impossible.

– Why?

– Well, the more I try to know the world in order to hug it, the more the world becomes bigger and escapes from me. I always I find out that I have more things to know, different people to meet, more stories to hear and tell.

– Aren’t you tired to keep walking throughout this endless road of knowledge?

– And who told you that knowledge tires? Knowledge is like the longing that we feel to hug someone who lives far away. And that longing never goes away.

Before meeting the so call Mr. World Hugger, I thought the world was only about Maria Luiza, the girl everyone is in love in school. You know? Well, after meeting him, I find out the world was much bigger and I decided what I wanted to be when I grow up: The First World Hugger!